Some traditional video game systems can function alongside a communications system (e.g., a chat or instant messaging application), but the two systems do not traditionally interact with each other. When operating alongside each other in an uncoordinated manner, video game systems and communications systems have several shortcomings. For example, communications between users can interfere with a video game or vice-versa. As another example, a user may be able to cheat by communicating with other users to share information about a video game.
In yet another example of the lack of coordination, traditional video game systems often require a user to provide inputs that are not part of natural communications between users (e.g., chat, conversation, or any other generalized communication between the users). A traditional video game system may require a user to provide a specific type of input to the system (e.g., pushing a button on a controller) and that input may have no other purpose besides controlling the video game. Accordingly, a user must inefficiently provide inputs to the video game that may not be part of natural communications between users (e.g., chat, conversation, or any other generalized communications that occur between users in real-life gameplay). Moreover, providing specific inputs to the video game system may conflict with or otherwise interrupt natural communications between users.